Planned Parenthood executives say U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh would “wreak havoc” on abortion.
“There’s no way to sugarcoat it: With this nomination, the constitutional right to access safe, legal abortion in this country is on the line,” said Dawn Laguens, vice president of Planned Parenthood.
Kavanaugh could bring the Supreme Court to a conservative majority. He previously served on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for Washington, D.C. His record includes enforcing restrictions on abortion and protecting religious liberty.
In response to his nomination by President Donald Trump, Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion organizations protested outside the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We're rallying outside of the Supreme Court to reject Brett Kavanaugh, Trump's #SCOTUS pick who could wreak havoc on our health, rights, and communities for generations to come,” Planned Parenthood Action tweeted.
In New York City, at least seven people were arrested during a similar protest outside Trump Tower.
Pro-choice groups are worried a conservative majority on the Supreme Court could reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.
“It’s clear our constitutional right to access abortion is on the line. You don’t even need to take our word for it,” Planned Parenthood wrote on Twitter.
Said Cecile Richards, former president of Planned Parenthood: “We cannot allow our daughters to have fewer rights than we do.”
Meanwhile, pro-life leaders say they are excited about Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court. Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser called him an “outstanding choice.”
“Judge Kavanaugh is an experienced, principled jurist with a strong record of protecting life and constitutional rights, as evidenced by his opinions in Garza v. Hargan and Priests for Life v. HHS,” Dannenfelser said.
Other pro-life groups agreed.
“Judge Kavanaugh’s record, viewed as a whole, indicates a willingness to enforce the rights truly based on the text and history of the Constitution, while otherwise leaving policymaking in the hands of elected legislators,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life.
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Publication date: July 10, 2018
